Combined type-writing and computing machine.



W, L. BENCH. comma; TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.11, 1913 1 J 1 Patented Dec.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. DENCH, OF PELHAM, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 JOHN T. UNDERWOOD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

COMBINED TYPE-WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 15.30.22, 191 4.

Application filed August 11, 1913. Serial No. 784,213.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM L. DENCH, a citizen of the United States, residing in Pelham, in the county of \Vestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Type-\Vriting and Computing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Hy invention relates to means for permitting the ordinary type bars of a combined typcwriting and computing machine to be operated, and at the same time prevent them from printing.

An object of the invention is to provide lwy-operated means to arrest the type bars as they near the printing position, in order that the operation of the computing keys may effect the usual functions, except that the types are prevented from printing, and also without materially affecting the touch.

In a preferred form of the invention a type guide, which in its normal position guides the types to the platen at the printing point, is shiftable by a key to a position to form a stop for, the types as they near the printing point and thus prevent them from printing. As shown a type guide is provided with the usual guide fingers between which each type bar is guided as it is brought up to the printing point, but in accordance with my invention, the guide is mounted on the type bar segment for vertical sliding movement into a position to intercept the body or shank of the type as it approaches the printing point, and thus prevents the type from striking the platen. The guide is shifted by a key lever conncctcd through a link to an arm on a rock shaft, which carries a finger to lift the guide when the key is depressed, the latter having means to releasably hold it in depressed position.

Other features and advantages will here inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of my invention as applied to an Underwood-Hanson combined typewriting and adding machine, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of the machine with the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same, and shows a type bar in printing position, the type guide being in normal position. Fig. 3

is a sectional side elevation view showing the key for preventing printing depressed,

gers 8, separated by a slot 9 of suflicient width to receive the typebar and guide the type to the printing point on the platen.

In order to arrest the type bars before they reach the printing point. the type guide is shiftable into position to form a stop for the type bars, and preferably the guide 7 is movable vertically into position to intercept the shank or body 11 carrying the type 10; said shank being wider than the slot 9 in the guide.

The type guide is mounted for vertical movement by means of shouldered screws 12. extending through slots 13- in the guide and threaded into the segment 5, the guide having a shoulder or olt'set portion 11 which seats on the upper face of the segment 5 and thereby limits the duvnward movement of the guide.

The numeral keys, in the form of machine herein shown, are provided with pendents 15, to strike bell cranks 16, so as to set up on computing mechanism, not shown herein, the numbers represented by the numeral keys struck. If it is desired to set up numbers without printing them on the platen G, a key 17, which may be designated a non-print key, is first depressed to lift the guide 7 to position to prevent printing. The key 17 is carried on a lever 18 connected through a link 19 to an arm 20 on the rock shaft 21, extending transversely of the machine behind the segment'5.

A rock arm or finger 2'2 fixed to the rock shaft extends forwardly into an opening 23 in the uide 7, whereby when the non-print key 17 1S depressed the guide 7 is lifted, and when the key is restored to normal position, the type guide is lowered. When the type guide is lifted, the opening between the guide fingers 8 is brought into the path of the type blocks 11, so that the latter can enter between the flared ends of the guide fingers, but owing to the width of the blocks, are prevented frommoving up to the printing position.

As the type bars approach the printing position, shoulders 24: thereon strike a universal bar 25, which actuates the usual escapement mechanism, not shown, controlling the letter-feed movement of the platen. The universal bar and also the bell cranks 16 when numeral keys are struck, are operated by the type bars before the latter are stopped by the guide 7, so that the letter feed of the platen and the setting up on the computing mechanism are not interfered with when the non-print key is depressed.

The stem of the key 17 is connected by a pivot 26 to the lever 18, and at its lower end I upward turn to prevent accidental release of the key. A pin 29 on the key stem extends behind the vertical end of the lever 18, and thereby prevents the keyfrom swinging rearwardly beyond a vertical or normal position. WVhen the key 17 is released by a slight rearward pressure, a spring 30 returns the key, the guide 7 and intermediate parts to normal position.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the inventions, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with a platen and type bars, of a combined type guide and stop, and means to shift the same to guiding and stopping positions.

2. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with type bars and computing keys for actuating the type bars, of a type guide shiftable to intype bars, of a type guide shiftable to intercept the type bars at an intermediate position, and a key to shift said guide and settable to hold the guide in shifted position.

4. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with a type bar segment, type bars mounted thereon, and computing keys to actuate the type bars, of a type guide, and means to efiect a movement of the guide relative to the segment into and out of position to cause the guide to stop the typebars while in a non-printing position.

5. The combination with a type b'ar segment, of a type guide mounted thereon, and having a slot and pin connection therewith permitting vertical movement of the type guide, and a key operatively connected to move said guide.

6. The combination with a platen and type bars, of a type guide having spaced guide fingers between which the type bars are adapted to enter as they approach the printing position, type blocks on said bars of greater width than the passage between said fingers, and means to shift said guide and bring said passage into the path of said blocks to intercept said'blocks as the type bars approach the printing position.

7. The combination with a platen and types to strike against the platen, of a stop movable in a plane substantially at a right angle to the direction of movement of the types at the printing point, into and out of a position over the printing point to intercept the types and prevent them from print- 8. The combination with a rotary platen and type-bars mounted to swing upwardly and rearwardly against the front face of the platen, of a stop movable up and down over the platen at the printing point into and out of position to stop the types and prevent them from printing, and means to hold the stop in-said stop position.

'9. The combination with a-platen, of typebars, a support on which the type-bars are mounted, and a stop mounted on said support and slidable bodily into and out of position over the platen at the printing point to intercept the type-bars and prevent print- VILLIAM L. DENOH. l/Vitnesses F. E. ALEXANDER, Geo. W. NAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. 0. 

